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Jay-Z "Kingdom Come" (2006)

Album: Kingdom ComeLabel: Roc-A-Fella/Def JamProducer: Just BlazeUnfortunately sharing its title with Jay's worst studio album, "Kingdom Come" is one of the few highlights the album has to offer. At times, Jay does sound unconvincing while rhyming lines like, "And I'm so evolved I'm so involved/I'm showing growth, I'm so in charge," especially considering this was the one album where he was sorely out of step. He still strings his bars together well, closing each verse with a series of superhero references (instead of endless Michael Jordan references) that fit well with the album's supposed narrative, even if Jay being the savior of rap was ultimately untrue. The best reference remained the most apt: "Take off the blazer loosen up the tie/Step inside the booth Superman is alive." Yet the hero of the song was actually Just Blaze, who provided a booming backdrop that sampled, of all things, Rick James's "Super Freak." —Insanul Ahmed